Martin Lopez vs. Mike Mangini – Greatest Metal Drummer, Round 1

This is a matchup between two progressive masters. Martin Lopez is the famed Opeth drummer that played on everything from ‘My Arms, Your Hearse’ to ‘Ghost Reveries.’ As Opeth transitioned further away from their extreme metal roots and affinity for Iron Maiden-like harmonies, the entire band had to adapt and evolve with the music. Lopez’s drumming is a seminal part in the diverse Opeth sound and helped to tie the clean segments in with the extreme elements. His influences are vast and brings in aspects from other genres to create a unique sound.

Mike Mangini is most famous for filling the massive shoes left by Dream Theater co-founder Mike Portnoy. The band’s fans are absolute fanatics and have welcomed Mangini to the fold, but not easily. Mangini won them over with his world-class skills. The former Berklee College of Music professor has held five different World’s Fastest Drummer records throughout his career, including one for bare-handed single strokes in 60 seconds. Despite his progressive nature, he can also simplify things as evident by his playing in Annihilator, showing impressive restraint and an understanding of the music.

Martin Lopez or Mike Mangini? Cast your vote for the Greatest Metal Drummer in the poll below! Voting for this round closes on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 11:59PM ET. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure that your favorite metal musician wins!